Rachael Claridge started Endurance riding over 20 years ago, and became an Advanced Rider in 1993. She splits her time between Bodmin in Cornwall where her family’s stud, Phoenix Field Arabians is situated, and her training centre in Badminton, Gloucestershire. In 2003 she achieved a remarkable 5th place at her first 160km FEI ride at Cirencester, England. Later that year they came 2nd in the 100km Endurance Ride at Dukeries and then won the FEI 3* 160km at Cirencester in 2004, beating the opposition by three hours.
In 2005 Rachael and Silver Mistrahl went to the World Endurance Championships in Dubai and in 2007 Prince Meliodas achieved the 160km at Dukeries after completing a Cornish Minions Moorland Endurance 80km race and coming second in the Golden Horse Shoe 80km race in 2006. 2007 also saw Rachael riding in the Uzes, Young Horse Championships in the South of France for Stephan Chazel. In 2009 she rode in the South African International Team Championships partnered with Royal Solar Matla who was South Africa’s no. 1 Endurance horse at the time, owned by Ina Bryer. The Barbarian team brought home a Bronze Medal after France pipped the UK ladies to Silver by one point.
2011 will see Maarhabi starting his FEI race riding career in preparation for WEG in 2014 and having won The Grange BEF Futurity Grading for Endurance her 100% Crabbet stallion Silver Zenif will begin his pleasure ride endurance career. Rachael hopes to ride in the World Endurance Championships in 2012 and then the World Equestrian Games in Normandy in 2014 with Prince Meliodas and Maarhabi. In addition to her already established equine partners, Rachael has some exciting prospects, bred by Phoenix Fields Arabians, who she is training and bringing on.